The Council of Europe and the European Union sign an agreement to foster mutual cooperation

Strasbourg, 23.05.2007 - The Memorandum of Understanding, signed today on behalf of the European Union by Gunter Gloser (the German Minister of State for Europe) and Benita Ferrero-Waldner (the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy) creates an institutional framework to reinforce our cooperation in areas of common interest such as democracy, human rights, the rule of law, culture, education and social cohesion.

The Memorandum confirms the role of the Council of Europe as the benchmark for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe. It also stipulates the need for coherence between EU legislation law and Council of Europe conventions in the fields of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Memorandum underlines that early accession of the European Union to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms would greatly contribute to coherence in the field of human rights in Europe.

The Memorandum also envisages the possibility of consultation between the Council of Europe and the European Union at an early stage in the elaboration of standards in one or the other institution.